Lubin - Upper Ten

They came from all over the world to this new continent, a strange place full of uncontaminated and fertile nature. The desire for a better life led them from their homes to here, now, where they stand with trembling knees, fearful and yet full of confidence that once they step off the ships and onto this strange new land, they will be granted a fresh start, a home of their own, and a homeland in which all men were created equal in the eyes of God and the law. They all came here with their different fears, desires, and longings. But they all had one thing in common - they all wanted to be judged on their ability alone and not on the basis of their ethnicity or socio-economic status. Little did they know it but those brave men and women were about to change the world for good. More than 300 years ago, it was the sweat and tears of these courageous pioneers that formed the foundation on which the mighty United States of America thrived. Upper Ten tells the story of the 10,000 men that landed one morning on the banks of this vast continent, without the prospect of ever being able to return to their homeland.

Those who turned their vision into creative power, and thus securing the supremacy of the United States, embody the spirit of the so-called Upper Ten, according to the great American poet, Nathaniel Parker Willis. Upper Ten is the fragrance that embodies the inherent toughness of such a man. He carries within himself the echo of a gentleman's club in New York or Chicago in the 1880's, one of those places with ancient oak-paneled walls and plush leather armchairs in shady cubicles. His face is stone cold, but his eye betrays keenness, an internal fire. His smooth, well-groomed appearance is contrasted by his skin, clearly marked by the elements and a life lived hard. He is a center of dark silence in the maelstrom of murmurs and deep voices that reign in this place. At the heart of this fragrance lies a creamy, aromatic cedar and sandalwood blend that delights and soothes with its fierce beauty. Spicy brown leather, fine and supple, lies underneath the creamy woods, giving a slightly tough backbone to the scent. Warm spices such as cardamom and cinnamon lend a lively warmth and kinetic energy to the woods and leather, making them dance and twist on the skin. In the base, ambrette seed adds a plush, vegetal musk accord that softens the shiny, balmy leather note even further.